"And when they ask us what we're doing, you can say, We're remembering...." (Ray Bradbury, Fahrenheit 451)

Thursday, March 12, 2009

HERE COMES THE (UNDERAGE) BRIDE!

In 1956, when As The World Turns premiered, Chris and Nancy's seventeen year old daughter, Penny, shocked her parents by running off and marrying superficial, spoiled Jeff Baker. Jeff's parents showered their son with material things to make up for their otherwise neglectful behavior, and his snotty attitude reflected that. Nancy and Chris did not think he was the right sort of fellow for Penny.

Almost fifty-three years later, Liberty and Parker (he of the trust-fund and the busy parents and the, let's be honest, equally snotty attitude) are looking to follow in Jeff and Penny's footsteps by running off to get married.

Maybe someone should sit them down and tell the kids how Jeff and Penny's story ended:

Shortly after their elopement, Penny had second thoughts and came home. Nancy quickly had the marriage annulled. Penny's rejection sent Jeff into a self-destructive spiral that culminated with his killing a rival for Penny's affections.

Chris cleared Jeff of the murder charges, but by then Penny had become engaged to someone else.

Shocked into adulthood by almost having been sent to prison, Jeff buckled down, graduated high-school, got a job and resolved to become the man Penny wanted and deserved. His efforts paid off. Penny broke off her engagement and re-married Jeff.

They remained happy for several days, until Jeff's mother, convinced that her son would run the family business into the ground, tried to rope Penny into convincing Jeff to resign. Penny refused, but when Jeff found out about his mother's machinations he mistakenly believed that his wife had supported them. He began to drink heavily, then abandoned a newly pregnant Penny. Penny miscarried their baby while her husband drowned his sorrows in a nearby town.

Not knowing where Jeff was or whether he ever intended to come back, Penny moved on with her life, taking a job writing for the local newspaper and even cautiously begining to date again. Meanwhile, Jeff once again attempted to pull his life together, this time by becoming a pianist and song-writer (including the real-world hit ballad, "Penny").

He returned to Oakdale to reclaim his wife just as Penny had finally given in to Nancy's pleas that she get a divorce.

Jeff convinced Penny to take him back and, in an even bigger miracle, convinced his mother-in-law that he'd finally grown up. Certain that the bad times were finally behind them, Penny and Jeff began planning to adopt a baby when, in 1962, their car skidded on a wet road and crashed into concrete. Jeff was killed instantly. Penny fell into a coma.

And all this happened even without Craig Montgomery "helping" them. So what chance have Parker and Liberty got for happily ever after?

4 comments:

One of the best things about the "kids in crisis" stories has been that Carly and Jack ALWAYS work together for their kids and put aside their differences in their relationship. The flaw in this story is it's too centered on Craig as even indicated by the picture we get. As a result everyone is acting out of character and Jack and Carly are fighting. The story would be so much better if it was focused on the family rather than trying to portray Craig as the hero. It gets a thumbs down from me.

Yet another reason to visit Llanview.Only a lobotomy could make someone compare Parker and Liberty to Penny and Jeff with the insinuation that the newer couple is following in the older's footsteps. WHY are these kids crazy about each other at all? To stir up conflict for their parents. And they're the only teenagers that ATWT bothers to show us. Their own feelings are secondary, as their less than quality airtime demonstrates. Penny and Jeff were probably given the luxury of writing that made viewers understand their relationship. They were also one of daytime's first super couples. That will never be the case for Parker and Liberty. Jean Passanante's plotting is too schizophrenic to keep them interesting.